Automatic gun.



PATENTED .TUNE l2, 1906.

i c. H. TAYLOR. AUTUMATIG 4GUN APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Ewen/Zar PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

C. H. TAYLOR.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2a, 1901.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INV i/ mm1 No. 823,004. PATENTED JUNE 10, 1900.

I 0. H. TAYLoR.

AUTOMATIC GUN.

APPLICATION FILED 100023.12301.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

OECIL HAMELIN TAYLOR, OF

UNITED sTATEs' PATENT oEEIcEL PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvANIA'f'AssIGNoR,

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO KNOX TAYLOR, OF HIGH BRIDGE, NEW

JERSEY.4

AUTOMATIC GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed August 23,1901. Serial No. 72,989.

In said drawings, Figure l -represents aV side elevation of the rear portionof the gun. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of theremaining or'frontportion of the gun, the nozzle being shown in vertical section toillustrate the construction of the water-jacket- 3 represents a .transverse longitudinal vertical section of the rear portion of the un, showing the position of the breech-bloc in its rearmost position. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 represent transverse cross-sections of the gun on the lines 4 4, 5.5, and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail View representlng a `central longitudinal section of a portion of the gun, showing the cartridge-extractor at the instant a cartridge isvbeing seized in the belt and a cartridge in the barrel is being red. Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, respectively, represent detail views of the cartridge-extractor. Fig. 12 represents an end elevation of the frame or casing for the breech-block. Fig. `13 is a detail view illustratinfT means for manually reciprocating the breec -bloclL The barrel A of. the gun is rigidly secured to the frame B in any preferred manner and is provided with an outer and inclosing casin 0. Preferably the barrel is also provide with a water-jacket I), extending the entire length thereof, which is likewise inclosed within thecasing. The end of the waterjacket comprises an annular rib or flange, preferably formed integral with the barrel, to which one end of the outer cylinder dof the water-jacket is secured,the other end bein secured to the frame, as at d. The casing is supported by the frame and from rings or bands c on the extension of the water-jacket.

The breech-block E of the gun is providedV with a spindle F, that preferably is formed of a single piece therewith. The rear end of the breech-block is provided with a recess e, that y grooves y'.

engages with and reciprocates over the cambolt G,\secured to the frame of the gun, as by a bayonet-{oint g, Whch permits the cam-bolt to be readi y removed. 'The cam--bolt is held against rotation b screws g and is provided on its .surface wit oppositely-arranged arallel rooves H, which are connected at t eir ends y cam-grooves h. Studs e', vtapped or otherwise secured to the breech-block, take into these grooves, wherebyboth the breechblock and the spindle are forced to rotate when same engage the cam ortion thereof. The forward end of the breec -block is movable inf bearingsA f, provided in the frame, and

has a/flange f formed integral therewith. A helical spring I is secured at one end to said flange and at its other end to a ratchet-wheel i, thaty engages with a corresponding ratchet- Vwheel i secured to the frame. These ratchet- Wheels are so 4constructed that when the spring is compressed the torsional tension of the spring in connection with the construction of the cam-grooves on the cam-bolt will cause the breech-block always to rotate in the same direction. It will be understood that while the spring I is bein compressed it will also be put under torsiona tension, which will be greater or less, according to whether the spring is prevented from expansion diametrically, and that as the rear end of the spring is held by the ratchet-wheels 'i and 'i' such torsional tension will be exerted in rotating the breech-block, to which the other end of the spring is attached. When the spring is expanding lonitudinallyr and as it approaches the limit o its expansion, the ratchet-wheel 'i will jump from the ratchetwheel i and Vat the same time will advance slightly, so that at'each compression of the spring the torsional tension thereof will be exerted in rotating the breech-block.

Secured to the spindle near its junction with the breechblock are two diametrically opposite win s or `heads J, each forming a breech-face or coperation with the cartridge substantially as a single breech-block, each provided on its side with longitudlnal Each head is also rovided with a firing-pin K, arranged near t e outer edge thereof l recess lc. An elongated cartridge-extractor L, comprising two side plates L', is secured to each of the heads, by means of lugs l on the side plates, which engage in the grooves and securely held in a counterbored.

ICQ

The side plates are connected by a web l', that 'is provided with a perforation Z2, that registers with the firing-pin.4 Each of the si e pieces of the extractor is cut away, as at l, so as to form an outwardly-projecting spur Z, that engages with a. pin Z5 in the spindle, whereby the outer end of the extractor is normally tilted forward upon the lugs'l as a pivot and away from the firingin. A in l on each head en ages in slots forme in the side pieces of t e extractor, and limits the oscillation thereof. Said plates project slightly beyond the plane of the heads and are provided at their outer edge with inwardly-projecting flanges la, extending the full length of the extractor. These' flanges are preferably notched .or otherwise weakened,'as at l, to permit same to sprin slightly'apart and snap over therim of t e cartrid e when lbrought into en.- gagement therewitfli.

he cartridges M are fed to the. gun by means of a belt which passes around the spindle and is contained in a guideway'm, t at communicates with an inlet-openingzm and 'an outlet-opening m", formed in the casing. The rims of the cartridges engage in a groove m3, which groove is arrangedspirally, so that the rims ofthe cartridges shall project beyond the portion of the frame forming the guide when the cartridges are in position to be received by the cartridge-extractor.

The forward portion of the spindle is provided With oppositely-arranged groovesf, which e age with the cartridges contained in the be t, and thereby feed the belt forward when .the spindle is rotated.

-After a cartridge has been withdrawn t from the belt b the cartridge-extractor it is fed-to the barre o`f the by means of a car? tridge carrier or guide that is arranged to receive the cartridge when the breech-block is rotated. VSaid carrier or guide comprises, preferably, two approximately concentric walls n and n, which are spring-sup orted on the frame or casin of the n. he inner wall n is provide with a ip or projection n, and one of the walls of each of the cartridgerooves f3 in the spindle is cut away, s o t at said lip may project under the cartridge contained 1n said cove when the spindle is rotated and where y the cartridge is guided into the carrier or guide. As the breech-block rotates the end of the cartridge moves lengthwise Aof the extractor, so that when the breech-block has completed a halfturn the cartridge has been carried to the end of the extractor and opposite the firingpin pre aratory to being forced into the barrel of t e un and being discharged.. Since the cartri ge carrier or guide is pivoted or otherwise secured to the gun so as to have a tilting or swinging movement, the lip portion of the carrier or guide,`which engages with thereof.

' receive the arm w the groove in the spindle and' under the car- 4to drop through the opening.

In order to reciprocate the breech-block manually, a button orknob P is secured to the s indle and is movable in a slot Q, provide( in the frame. The knob is affixed to an arm 1, secured to-or formed integral with the sleeve R, mounted upon the spindle.' The sleeve is held a ainst movement lengthwise of the s indle y means of the flange f',

'formed t ereon, and a spring pawl or catch 'r, that is secured to the sleeve v"and engages in a groove f4 in the spindle. By this arrangement the sleeve is caused to. reciprocate with the spindle, but .permits the spindle to rotate inde endently thereof and also permits the s in le to be readily disengaged and removed om the sleeve.

The portion of the casing inclosing the guide-bolt communicates, througha passage with openings or perforations s, provided 'in the handle or grip T. The trigger U is royided with a rearward extension u, that is Eifurcated to engage with the grip and close said perforations when the trigger is in its locking position. The end of the -breechblock fits snugly within this portion of the casing, so that an air-cushion is formed when the breechblock' reciprocates A bufferspring V or other power-reservoir is placed either at the end o the ide-boltV or in the recess in the breech-bloc to check and reverse the movement of the parts. The air or fluid cushion breaks the force of the rearward stroke of the breech-block and also decreases the initial velocity of the forward stroke The regulation of the air-cushion by, the controll of the perforations s provides a means for regulating the reaction of the power-reservoir. In order to preventaccidental movement of the trigger, a safety W, comprising a lever w and an arm fw adapted to engage with the trigger, ispivoted to the grip. The arm ispnormally held in engagement with the trigger by means of a s ring X, arranged between same and the ever. The endf of the tri ger is recessed, as at U', to Iren the lever is com ressed against the action ofthe spring, there y permitting the trigger to be retracted.

In order to operate the gun, the breechblock isreciprocated manually until the cartridge-belt has been fed into position and one cartridge has been fired, after which the un operates automatically, the breech-block eing forced backward or blownback by the IOO IOS

ing-pin into engagement with the'cartride. Y

force generated by the explosion of the car.- tridge and being returned to its forward osition by the helical spring and the bu ersprin qor air-cushion, or both. When the breec -block reachesthe limit of its forward stroke, the cartridge-extractor snaps over the rim of the cartridge which has been fed into osition by the prior rotation of the s ind e. This cartridge-is `withdrawn from t e belt when the breech-block makes its 4breech-block to a position opposite the firing-pin. 0n the forward stroke of the breech-block the cartridge is forced into the barrel of the gun and the cartridge-extractor is tilted on its pivot, so as to bring the fir- 'Simultaneously a live cartridge is seized the extractor and both the live cartridge and the shell of the exploded cartridge are withdrawn, the onefrom the belt and the other from the cartridge-chamber, when the breechblock makes its return stroke. When the breech-block rotates, the live cartrid e is fed downward, as described, and the she l of the exploded cartridge is engaged by the ejector, which withdraws same from the end of the extractor; The 'rapidity with which the breech-block reciprocates is regulated by means -of the air-cushion and the buiferspring. The resistance provided by the aircushioil is immediately controlled by the trigger, which in its forward or locking position completely closes the o enings communicating with the air-cham er and which in its rearmost or retracted position uncovers these openings, so that practically no eifect whatever Ais produced thereby. In this event the buffer-spring alone in connectionwith helical s ring takes up the force of the rearward stro e ofthe breech-block.V Both the air-cushion and the buffer-spring serve to increase the initial velocity of the return stroke of the breech-block, whereby a more uniform speed of reciprocation is obtained. The strain upon the studs that engage in the cam-grooves is partl relieved by the action of thespring, which tends to rotate the breech-block in the same direction as the cam moves when it is compressed.

Bymeans of thisconstruction I am enabled to provide an automatic gun that has a very small number of parts and that is extremely sim' le and accurate in its operation'.

Various c langes may b'e made in the construction herein set forth without departing age with the cam-grooves on the from the s irit of the invention rovided tl1omeans set orth in the following c aims be employed.

l claim as my inventione 1. In a gun, a movablebreech-block having a plurality of breech-faces, means for reciprocating the'same', and means for rotating the same in one direction to bring said breechfaces successively into line with the barrel, said last-named `means comprising a camgroove and a stud enga ing therein.

2. In a gun, a Inova le breech-block having a plurality of breech-faces, means for rotatin the same in one direction to bring said breec -faces successively into line with thc barrel, and means for reciprocating the same,

.said last-named means comprising a helical spring.Il

3. a gun, a movable breech-block having a plurality of breech-faces, means for reciprocating saidblock and for rotating it in one direction to bring said breech-faces successive'ly into line with the ba'rrel, and cartridge-feedin devices operated by the rotation of said b ook.

4. In a gun, the combinationwith abreech- V means for rotating and reciprocating said breech-block and spindle.

5. In a gun, the combination with a breechblock carrying a cartridge-feeding spindle, of means en aging the breech-[block to rotateA said breec -block and spindle, and means cngaging the spindle to reciprocate said'breechblock and spindle. p

6. In a gun, a barrel, a breech-block, the one having movement relative'to the other, a rotatable cartridge-feedin r spindle operatively connected with the lblock, and means stationary with respect to the barrel and operatively connected with said block whereby the spindle is rotated through `the relative movement of the barrel and block.

7. 'In a gun, a cartridge-guide, a rotating cartridge-feeder to feed the cartridges through the guide, one of the parts having longitudinal movement with respect to the other part, and devices stationary with respect to said uide and engagngthe cartridge-feeder to efect rotation of said feeder through the relative longitudinal movement of said feederf' 8. In av gun, a cartridgefuide, a rotating cartridge-feeder to feed the cartridges through the guide, one of said parts having longitudinal movement with respect to the other part, and an extractor having a definite longitudinal relation to the cartridge -feeder and brought into operative relation with said guide through the relative longitudinal movement of the guide and cartridge-feeder.

9. In a gun having a guideway for the cartridges, a cartridge-feeding spindle rotating and reciprocating with respect to said guideway and an extractor carried with said spindle to engage the cartridge.

IOO

10. In a n, a reci rocat` .and rotatin brcech-bloc1 a helicril sprinngg resisting th |ongitudinal movement of the breech-block and means whereby the torsional tension of said spring due to longitudinal compression is utilized for rotating the block.

11. In a gun, a movable breech-block having a spindle formed integral' therewith, means for reciprocating and rotating said breech-block, and means on said spindle en- Y gaging with a cartridge-belt to feed the same when the breech-block is rotated.

12. In a gun, a movable breech-block having a vspindle formed integral therewith, means for rotating and reciprocating said breech-block, means on said spindle engag' ing a cartridge-belt to feed same forward anda belt-guide formed in the frame of the gun and provided with a spirally-arranged groove to receive the rims of the cartridges.

13. In a gun having a rotating breechblock, a cartridge-extractor carried with said breech-block to engage the cartridge and formed to permit lateral movement of the cartridge while held by the extractor, and

means to feed the cartrid e laterally said extractor also being movab e toward and from said breech-block.

14. In a gun having a rotating breechblock with an eccentric breech-face, and a cartridge-extgactor secured to the face of larly toward and from the face of the breech-' block and means for normally holding one end of said cartrid e-extractor away from the face of the breei-block. Y 17. In a gun havin a breech-face, airin pin stationary in the ace of the breech-bloc and a cartridge-extractor formed to engage and retain the cartridge and-having movement substantially perpendicularto the'face of the breech-bloc Y 18. In a gun, a breech-block provided with a stationary firing-pin, a cartrid e-extractor formed to engage and retain t e cartridge and pivoted to the breech-block, means normally holding -the extractor away from said firing-pin, and means for limiting the movement of said extractor.

19. In a gun, the culmination with a rotating breech-block havin an elongated cartridge-extractor secure thereto to engage the cartridge and pr-rxziit movementof sald cartridge lengthwise thereof and radially with respect to the breech-block, of a guide to engage the cartridge and cause the same to move lengthwise of the extractor when the breech-block is rotated.

20. In -a1 gun, the combination with a breech-block carrying a spindle provided with a groove to receive the cartridge, a cartridge-extractor secured to the breech-block l to engage the cartridge .and hold the same in said .groove and formed to permit lengthwise movement of the cartridge with respect vto itself, and a de secured to the frame of the gun provide with'means to en lage with the .cartridge and' move the same engthwise of the extractor when the breech-block is 'rotated.

21. In a gun,the combination of a breechblock carrying a spindle rovided with a recessed groove to receive t e cartridge, a cartridge-extractor secured to said breech-:block secured to the frame of the gun and arranged to engage with a cartridge and hold the same Vin thegro'ove and formed to permit lengthwise movement of the cartridge respect to itself, and a guide provided withan outwardly-projecting lip to engage in said recess and cause the cartridge to move lengthwise of the extractor and away from said groove when the breech-blockis rotated.

22. In a n, the combination with a rotatablebreec -block, a stationary firing-pin in said breech-block, a cartrid e-extractor pivoted to the breech-block so t' at the cartridge is normally held out of contact with the firing-pin, acartridge-guide arranged adjacent to t e breech-block to receive the cartridge held by the extractor when the breech-block is rotated and to guide said cartridge oppo'- site the rin pin, means for reciprocating the breech-bock to engage the cartridges and to force the same intothe cartrid echamber and simultaneously oscillate t e cartridge-extractor to bring the firing-pin into en agement with the cartridge.

23. n a gum-the combinatiom with a IIO breech-block having a cartridge-extractor secured thereto and movable .therewith in a direction transverse to the -axis of .the breechblock and having substantially parallel fixed guides'to engage the rim of a cartridge and permit the same to move in a direction transverse to the axis of the yl, reech-block,'of an ejector-finger arranged to project within the path ofthe extracted case held by said extractor and disengage the same from said extractor as the extractor is moved transversely.

24. In a gun, a part moved by the operation of the gun, firing mechanism, a trigger, a source of fluidressure cooperating with said part to contro and cushion the movement thereof, and devices in operative relation with the tri ger for regulating the action of the source o fluid-pressure and the speed of IISl Y ative relation with the trigger for regulating the action of said source of speed of 'the .moving part.

26. In a gun, the combination with the casing ol' a reciprocatin breech-blockengaging with the casin to orm an air-chamber between same an the end of the breechblock, a passage communicating with said air-chamber and having an outlet in the grip of the gun, a trigger, and means on said trigger for regulating said outlet.

27. In a gun, the combination with a cas ing, a stationary guide-bolt secured to the casing, a reciprocating breech-block e'ngag power and the ing with the casing to form an airchamber between the same and the end of the breechblock, an outlet for the air-chamber, and a boiler-spring arranged between the guidebolt. and the breech-block to reverse the movement of the breech-block when said out'- letis opened. V

28. Ina gun, the combination of a breech? block movable longitudinally and rotatable,

an extractor carried by the breech-block and movable therewith, said extractor being formed to engage a cartridge and to permit lengthwise movement ofthe cartridge with respect to itself, and a relatively fixed cartri( ge-guide toA engage 4the cartridge and move the same lengthwise of the extractor when the breech-block is rotatedl 29. In a gun, a cartridge-extractor havin guides to engage the rim of a cartridge an etween which the cartridge is movable, said guides being relatively yielding in one part of their length to 'sna over the rim' oi.' a cartridge and relative y unyieldi'ng'in another part to hold the cartridge rigidly.`

30. In a breech-loading gun, .a breech-bolt i havin a transversely-projecting cross-head, provi ed with a firing-pin in each of the arms thereof.

31. In a'breech-loading gun, a breech-bolt having a k transversely-proj ecting cross-head,

and provided on the face thereol` with opposite sections of-a flangeway adapted to grasp the heads of cartridges.

32. In a breech-loading gun, a breech-bolt having a transversely-projecting cross-head carrying airing-pin in each ofthe arms thereof and provided' on its face with opposite sections o a I'iangeway adapted to grasp and to hold cartridges.

33. In a machine-gun, the combination of the reciprocating breech mechanism, firing mechanism operated solely by the breech mechanism, and a manually-operable controller t0 determine the operation' oi' the said breech mechanism, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I sign this application, in the presence of two wi tnesses, this 1 6th day of August, 1901.

cEcIL HAMELIN TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

RoswELL S. NICHOLS,

LUcrUs E. VARNEY. 

